Monday was travel day – back to London before I flew out to Africa on Thursday. It was a day that started at 9.30 am with the train to Milan, then the bus to Bergamo, the plane to London Stansted, the train to London and the underground to where I was staying. I arrived 12 hrs later, very ready for a good catch up over a cup of tea.
I had lots of time to reflect on the journey – what had I learned about myself over these past 5 weeks ...
What kind of a traveler was I? A few things jumped to mind:
- I can be cheap ... I don't like paying the full tourist price for a bottle of water and will wait and walk and get one at the 'regular' price
- Give me a map and I have a whole other level of comfort and confidence
- I love to see from the top of things – so stairs, tower, hill, whatever, I will climb to the top – it's all about getting maximum perspective
- I'm much better at asking for help – and enjoy the brief connections and conversations which that act often produces
- I budgeted this trip – and yup, have a lovel xls with many tabs, a few models and both detail and summary views ... can't take the analytical xls geek out of this traveler :-)
- I've really enjoyed the train – it's relaxing and a great way to see the countryside and smaller communities
- And finally, I'm really not a backpacker ...:-) not a 1 night here, 2 nights there kind of traveler (unless I'm in a car). I much prefer to be in one place for a few days, get the feel for it and have a chance to find the 'real' town versus a flying visit focused on the 'must see' sights. Having said this, I need to balance that and not stay in places too long either (both Siena and Florence were a day or two too long)
What have I learned about myself? The trip has been a great opportunity to see my decision making style in action – it was even starting to frustrate me! There is no doubt, I am slow to pull the trigger. Yes, I like to have all the information and understand my options – but that isn't actually where I get stuck. What prevents me from pulling the trigger, especially when I have a good gut feel for the right decision? On this trip, I noticed how much I relied on talking an issue through with someone else before making the decision. Talking things through has always been part of my thought process and I really enjoy it – but should it be necessary? Fundamentally, it comes down to seeking validation from others versus being truly confident in what I want – versus what I should do or what others might expect. Comes back again to “what others think”. And at a certain point – how much should that really matter? This is my life and I need to live it for me. I'm clearer and more conscious of this – and now let's see what I do with it!
My other realization, I am done with traveling on my own for a while ... I've done a lot of traveling on my own over the years – often because I needed the vacation and there wasn't anyone to go with – not that truthfully, I worked terribly hard to find someone ... This trip, I've traveled on my own purposely – and it's been great – but by the last week in Italy, I was definitely getting tired of my own company. And I had such a great time with my friends in Santorini – I knew what I was missing. I'm glad that Africa and India will be with other people – and I'll be curious to see how I do – I'm not worried in the least. I know it will go well.
Wow – I can't believe one trip is down – 2 more to go. I am absolutely loving it!
My formal sightseeing in Florence was done – and I had the weekend to just hang out and enjoy the city.
I had planned to do my shopping on Saturday – I had a few things I wanted to buy and wanted to look around the stores in the less touristy parts of Florence. First stop was the market. I was successful there - my bartering skills from Bali kicked back in – I finally bought a light scarf / shawl which would have been perfect for all those churches I've been in with a little too much shoulder showing ... but when I was in the market, I noticed that all the other stores seemed quite quiet ... I asked someone and yes, it was a holiday today ... best laid plans and all. I wasn't that disappointed - I haven't been fussed about shopping this trip. Traveling has helped me realize just how little I actually need and I really can't see the value in getting kitcshy gifts for family and friends (forwarning here) - other than of course for my niece and nephew ... :-) Though I did have one request from the friend I'm staying with in London to buy her a purse ... so the hunt was on – this would be fun - however, given the holiday, with only the touristy shops, no luck today - hopefully better luck tomorrow. And so with 36 degree weather and no stores open, the pool quickly became the best option.
My Saturday evening was lovely – even including 3 very full on lemming experiences. I decided to try Oltrano for dinner and so crossed the Ponte Vecchio – it was lovely – there was a very good street guitarist performing and a number of people just sitting on the bridge listening – very mellow in the early evening light with great views of the sun setting on the buildings near the river. I eventually ended up at one of the main tourist squares for dinner and enjoyed just watching the world go by. This was followed by walking, with my gelato for the day, and finding a Charlie Chaplin'esq mime entertaining a number of us lemmings on one of the big streets. All in all, a genuinely nice touristy evening in Florence.
Sunday morning was lovely - very peaceful as I walked through the Boboli Gardens which were up on a hill and from one spot offered a stunning view of the surrounding countryside which looked beautiful. It reinforced my view that next time I'd have a car and spend my time in the countryside.
The afternoon, with a few more shops open, I hit jackpot with the purse - so successful in fact that if my friend doesn't like it, it will be coming home with me (ignore what I said previously about material possessions - will take some time for that to apply to purses and shoes!) I succumbed to a final exhibit - a special one on Galileo - something else I've visited very much with my brother and nephew in mind - they really enjoy this kind of thing and I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed it (kind of like the dinosaur museum in Montana). And then, some final time sitting and reading in the sun by the pool. I knew it would be some time before I was able to do that again so I definitely took advantage while I had the opportunity :-)
And finally dinner - for a number of days now, I had seen this little trattoria, a block from my hotel, always with a line outside - this had to be a good thing. So I headed there for dinner and had a great time and great food. It was definitely a local spot with the waitress ebulliently (not an overstatement) greeting the regular. A caprese salad, some pesto pasta and a glass of chianti - life is good. After my last gelato and walk through Florence at night (the Duomo is stunning at night), the evening was perfectly capped with another street performer, this time a young woman wearing jeans and singing opera with live accompaniment - wow, she was good and had a large group of us standing in the cool of the evening listening to her sing. It fit the setting perfectly.
I really enjoyed my time in Italy - again, can't believe this was my first time here. The lifestyle is so relaxed and the people are lovely. The history and art almost overwhelming, but I've definitely had a good taste. And speaking of tastes, the food - definitely a highlight! I will be back :-)
ciao Italy
I wrote you that I was coming ... but I never heard back ... but then I'd heard you were the strong silent type ...
I didn't come see you right away ... I wanted to be sure I was in the right mind set especially as I'd heard different views as to whether or not you'd lived up to expectations ... but I was curious and so did see your replica in the piazza and scope out your neighborhood the day before ... partially to determine when was the best time to visit - I didn't want there to be a big crowd when I saw you. By the 4th day, I couldn't wait any longer and so I swung by late in the afternoon.
First though, I toured a wonderful exhibit at your residence … a collection of work by Robert Mapplethorpe, an American photographer who focused on the human body and the perfection of form – often nudes. I believe he was inspired by your creator, Michelangelo (who I have come to highly appreciate as well) and tried to recreate the effect of sculpture through photography I believe. There was a collection of his work and then additional pieces perfectly juxtaposed with some of the sculptures. I really appreciated the mix of ancient and modern – made it more real for me.
Then it was time ... I walked through the hall towards you, reasonably lemming free, and we all stood around you in awe – a few in seats - just taking you in. You truly are the perfect example of the male form ... stunningly magnificent. I was not disappointed ...
I wish I could have met you in real life and shared a glass of wine - but then I wonder, would the reality have lived up to the dream? As with all things, best to appreciate the actual, not the hypothetical - and it really was a lovely half hour of appreciation which I take with me :-) And can I just say, nice ass ... :-)
NB I managed to sneak a picture of David – will get him loaded as soon as I can.
I was determined to escape the lemmings and find the real Florence – and my strategy was simple: get up early and head to the outskirts of town.
I was out by 8.30 and there was a lovely calm as I walked through the main part of town, then crossed the river and walked up through the Michelangelo Park to a wonderful piazza and view of the city – and I was still early enough to almost have it to myself. I also found two lovely churches nearby – one where there was no one else in it other than me and it was just so peaceful. The other was in an active monastery, surrounded by a very old cemetery and further up the hill with another lovely view – but most impressive were the stairs leading up from the road – very grand – like something out of an old French chateau.
I then headed back down and wandered through the Oltrano section – ran into some lemmings but bypassed them quickly and found a lovely local bakery with pizza as in Rome – I was very happy with my portable local lunch! I also found another lovely church in a very residential part of town – Santo Spirito – it is incredibly plain from the outside – not even gothic, just a cement frame and yet on the inside, it is wonderful – very graceful and almost delicate - another real favorite.
It was lovely morning and I was feeling much better about Florence. I then had a lovely afternoon by the pool followed by dinner at a local pizzeria with very, very good pizza!
The next day was museum day and I was feeling ready to get back into circulation with my fellow lemmings. The morning was the Uffizi Gallery and I had learned my lesson from Rome – I bought the audio guide and had a good tour through their collection of renaissance art and the classical styles leading up to it. I really enjoyed the two paintings by Botticelli's (the Birth of Venus and Primavera) and my absolute favorite was a painting by Da Vinci – it had the most amazing colors but what struck me most was the emotion the overall picture generated combined with the depth of detail within. I could just stare at it for hours – which is very rare for me and art!
Other than Da Vinci's painting, my favorite part of the museum was the building itself. Designed by one of the leading architects of the time, the palazzo is two very long rectangular buildings joined by a closed in bridge like structure at one end. Very graceful. The masterpiece however, are the stairs inside – magnificent. (A theme in case you can't tell ...)
I also found a great spot for lunch - I had been walking around the main part of town and everything was just so touristy ... so I headed back near my hotel and found a little coffee / lunch bar - sat at the bar eating a so so greek salad and feeling at least a tiny bit like a local :-)
A small side note, in Rome I had this true ah ha moment when in a museum, I caught a look in a mirror and realized just how much I collapse my chest, even when walking – I was surprised as I always thought I had good posture standing. So it's been something I've been working on especially when wandering through other museums ... and I've been surprised by the effort it takes to lift it up - and also the natural settling that my shoulder blades then do into my back. Little by little I just might be getting there.
The hotel where I am staying is really lovely – I'm on the third floor and have a beautiful big window that overlooks the courtyard and the pool – though the sun comes in strong in the afternoon so I keep it closed, especially as the air-conditioning is not what I would call strong ... I decided to sleep with the windows open and I woke to beautiful cool weather and a most magnificent view – the sky was a gorgeous blue, the sun was coming up behind me and the orange and terracotta colors of the buildings across the way were reflected back in the most brilliant hues with the spires of churches in the distance. I was in Florence and it was starting to feel magical.
With a renewed sense of wonder, I headed out to find my vision of Florence. And always one to want perspective of where I am, I climbed the bell tower first (thought I was climbing the dome but as I was three quarters of the way up, I saw the folks on the dome in the distance ... close but no cigar ...). The view was magnificent and really showed how tightly packed Florence was – as well as some lovely roof top gardens. Something I discovered in Siena which is also done in Florence is the concept of taking artifacts off of churches and putting them into museums and then putting replicas back on the churches. Initially it struck me as more than a little odd – but then I realized, this is their art history and especially when pollution was much worse, they had to protect it ... short of building the museum around the church, this was the best solution. So I was off to the museum for the cathedral – there were many beautiful pieces but the ones that really struck me were a wood carving of an emancipated and distressed Mary Magdelene (her hairy looked matted and greasy – the delicacy of the sculpture was just incredible), one of Michelangelo's last sculptures which almost breathed life and then the carved doors from the Baptistery know as the Gates of Paradise – the literal 3D depth of the carvings were breathtaking - I've never seen anything like it. (Unfortunately, I'm having trouble uploading pictures at the minute which is a real pain ...) Sculpture has definitely been the art form I've discovered this trip – I really enjoy it – though in limited quantities ... point me in the direction of the famous piece and don't make me walk through the halls of heads on wall ...
I then headed back into the land of the lemmings – to one of the main squares, the Piazza della Signoria. But the initial glimpse of The David (replica) in his natural surrounds as well as the wonderful museum quality sculptures in the outdoor shaded Loggia definitely made it worthwhile. Then I'm wandering through the maze of streets towards the river and I start wading through lemmings ... and there it was, the Ponte Vecchio – I knew it was famous but had no idea what it was like until I saw it. It was nice but I have to say, didn't knock my socks off ... the lemmings didn't help the charm factor unfortunately.
By this point, I was fairly tired – it had been a full day and I'd been constantly on my feet ... but there was one more museum that had peaked my interest in the guidebook ... the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum – yes, that's right, a museum of shoes!!!! What I hadn't appreciated at all, was his inventiveness – he had hundreds of patents – including that of the wedge heel. Now ladies, I know you'll agree with me when I say, thank you Salvatore, thank you! Definitely one of my favorite museums of the trip :-)
I arrived mid afternoon – and after all my big talk of preferring cheap apartments to hotels, I'd gone with a great deal on a hotel by the train station (never usually a good thing) with air-conditioning and a pool ... when I realized it was 10 Euro a night more than the non-airconditioned apartment in the center of town ... and the weather forecast was calling for mid 30s ... well, it became a no brainer!
I headed out to explore – Florence is so contained that it was 5 minutes and I was in the prime shopping district and the town square and then another 5 minutes and I was at the Duomo – which really was incredible. However, my first impressions were 1. ok, this is really, really hot (mid 30s) and then, 2. wow, there are so many other lemmings ... by the end of my afternoon walk I'd come to the conclusion that while the size and containment of Florence was a definite plus, the down side was that it just meant all the lemmings were constrained in that space and so the density factor was high. That and as in Rome and Siena, being mid August, all the Florentine's had rightly escaped to the cooler countryside.
Florence held two attractions for me – first, what I thought would be the magic of the city (A Room With a View is one of my favorite movies and had highly romanticized the city) and second, it was the home of a wonderful yoga teacher from whom I'd taken a workshop in Vancouver. I was really hoping to get to one of her classes ... however, by the time I got to Siena, I realized that in all likelihood, she too would have escaped Florence for the summer. But I was determined to try ... So I got the instructions for the bus and map in hand, I headed out. All went smoothly and I found her studio in a residential neighborhood – in the same building as her home I believe – and yes, all was very quiet ... so no yoga in Florence this time.
As I was there, I explored the neighborhood a little – after the chaos of the center of town, I felt like I could breath again. It was a lovely neighborhood – little stores, restaurants and one of my top 5 churches of Italy. It was a new church – hadn't been sure those existed til now ... and beautifully designed – very light with great use of wood, brick and beautiful stained glass. It gave me faith that the Church was a part of the 21st century community.
So all in all, I was in Florence but definitely didn't have an immediate 'wow' reaction ... hopefully I'm able to find “Florence” in the next couple of days.
As I've said earlier, I've wanted to go and volunteer in Africa for the last couple of years and yet, in all of my time off, I hadn't gotten anything sorted ... I was starting to wonder just how much did I really want it? Friends had given me people I could talk with to get more information, often of their own experiences. And yet, I followed up with no one ... I had the time, I just never picked up the phone or sent the email ... I'm not sure why and it's not been something that I have thought about / reflected on until just recently ... my gut is telling me part of it has to do with my insecurity reaching out to people, especially those I don't know ... and I think it also had to do with my fears of going – yes, I wanted to go and I was unsure – if I talked to people and figured something out, I really would be going ... I'm realizing that my travel approach can be summarized as a two step process: “mull / have a general idea” and then “rip the band aid off” e.g. jump into something quickly and cross my fingers ... I have to explore the whole reaching out to people thing more – especially as it is through talking to people that I most like to learn – research (as we've already established) is not a preferred method - however one I do hope to improve in ...
When I was driving through the US, I decided that the easiest thing to do was a Habitat for Humanity program – I had looked at them a number of times over the years. They appealed to me because their projects were very tangible, they seemed to work closely with the local community and I liked the idea of doing physical work. There were even a couple of trips during August / September that I was interested in, including one to Ethiopia … however, it took me too long to get off the mark and when I was in Greece, it became clear that it wasn't going to come through.
So, all of a sudden, September was just around the corner and I had no plan ... I was really cutting it to the wire, especially if I wanted to volunteer. And if I couldn't volunteer, I'd decided I would do the organized safari / overland trip thing as that would at least get me to Africa. So I was back on google (my best friend traveling) and came across the GVI organization – I had seen their site before (someone had forwarded it to me I'm pretty sure) - they had some volunteer opportunities in both Kenya and South Africa (Capetown) working with under privileged children and the dates looked possible. So, what the hell, I filled in the on-line application form (for Kenya as I thought that might be a more remote / African experience than Capetown) and must admit, didn't think too much more about it – especially when I hadn't heard anything back the first week. Instead, I continued to research safari trips and had found a couple that could be options but nothing I was so excited by that I booked. Then just as I was leaving Siena I had an email ... the volunteering was a go if I was interested and could get everything done quickly - the departure would be in less than 2 weeks - needless to say, distraction went into overdrive! I arrived in Florence most concerned with finding an internet cafe where I could print and scan medical forms, information, plane tickets etc.
And I was excited, after all this time and all this futzing or lack of doing, I really was going to make it to Africa and volunteer. I had no idea what to expect but just knew it would be a hell of an experience – one way or the other!
So, after my second day in Siena, I really felt like I had seen it ... it is a lovely little town with lots of charm and places to wonder, but really, there isn't a huge amount to see – especially as after my first museum, I decided I needed to take an art 'holiday' or I wasn't going to make it through Florence ...
So, I thought I would go exploring some of the little towns nearby – my options were, to take an organized tour with my fellow lemmings or head out on my own ... I went with the later option and decided my first adventure would be to the little town of Monterrigioni – it wasn't in the guide book but my Italian friend had recommended it as one of his favorites and it was only 15 minutes away by train and so I thought why not ...
Well, my first clue should have been when the station said Castellina in Chianti - Montegriggioni ... I walked out of the train station and into quite a modern and very, very quiet residential area – hardly surprising given it was late Sunday morning but I was still surprised – I expected some kind of a 'tourist' town and so wondered where everyone was ... I walked around, trying to find the main square – managed to find the church and the park and that was when I saw the road sign “Montegriggioni 2.6 km” and realized I wasn't quite close enough... So instead of a medieval walled city, I spent a couple hours wandering the streets and climbing the local hill for a nice view of the countryside and a glimpse of what I imagined was the small walled town of Montegriggioni in the distance ... and then I caught the train back.
So much for try #1 ... so I decided I to try again the next day but this time to Montepulciano - in the guidebook, which said it had a lovely church and that the train would definitely get me there ...
Aghhhhh – clearly, I was not meant to explore the small towns of Tuscany from Siena. I had been to the train station by bus before with no issues – I was told I could take bus 3, 9 or 10 ... unfortunately, I wasn't told in which direction to take said buses ... I ended up at the opposite end of town and no where near the train station ... by this time I had well missed the train and given the schedule and the fact that the journey was a good hour, Montepulciano was not in my future … I was pissed. About 10 minutes later however, I calmed down ... discovered a few more streets that I hadn't seen before as well as another church and more importantly a large cup of gelato and the world was looking a little brighter!
It's simple, next time I'm in Tuscany it will be with a group – we'll rent a house in the countryside as well as a car and putter about the smaller towns at our speed and pace – I'd been told this is the best way to see Tuscany and I now fully believe them!
I had a lovely dinner my last night in town - I was sitting on my own at one of the places on the main piazza and another woman on her own asked to share my table. She was German and my German was actually better than her English so we had this halting conversation with plenty of laughs as we tried to understand each other. It turned out that she was doing the same trip as me just in revers having just left Florence on next on her way to Rome. She was turning 50 there and the rest of her family were meeting her. We shared advice on where we'd already been. The real irony however, happened the next morning when we met again at the train station (and I realized my German wasn't as good as I thought given I was sure she was driving ...) - we laughed, chatted some more and then realized we were both called Susan ... somehow to hear her still being adventures at 50 reassured me as to what was possible. It was a very cool random meeting.
I'm quickly finding my grove in this lovely little town. The first day was the requisite trip to the Duomo – quite spectacular – as well as to another old Gothic church. The difference really is huge between the two different styles and I almost prefer the Gothic for the simplicity – somehow with all the space, these churches often seem quieter and more peaceful. I also wandered the streets - lots of lovely shops and still lots of sales happening but the new 'season' is also starting to arrive – lots of purple, gray and other rich jewel tones.
I am really enjoying the size of Siena – everything is so close, including my hotel. I'm able to head back after lunch and avoid the heat of the afternoon – open my windows, hear the city in motion and get some writing done. Then head back out again for another sight, some dinner and a wander.
My second evening here, wondering the streets with my gelato (ok I'm converted, a gelato a day really is necessary ...), I found a free classical piano concert – the students of the local music school were performing in this wonderful room with high ceilings, carved windows and frescos on the walls and ceiling and we were sitting on old fashioned chairs. When I shut my eyes, I could imagine life in another day and age with everyone arriving in their finery for the evenings society. Though I couldn't have done it in what they would have been wearing ... it was hot in that room!
The music theme continued the next night. I'd seen an advertisement for a classical music concert in a small town with a shuttle bus so I thought why not … I didn't know what to expect but I got on the bus and off we went. Through beautiful countryside for about an hour and then it seemed like we were in the middle of no where – where were we going? It turned out that the concert was held in the ruins of a very old monastery in San Galano – we were listening to the Sofia Festival Orchestra perform sitting out under the stars on a beautiful clear night. Just wonderful and such a treat that I never expected and will remember for a long time.
I was sad to leave Rome – as in Mykonos, I'd found my groove. But my feet were thrilled! The last two days had been action packed with sightseeing and my feet really hadn't recovered from the very first day let alone the last two. Thankfully, Siena is a small town – there is only so far one can walk!
This was also going to be my first adventure on the regional trains – I can't remember the last time I've been on a train ... will be cool. It turned out to be quite straight forward – one connection and the second train was tiny ... only two cars. The country side was lovely – rolling hills and literally fields full of sun flowers – just beautiful.
I found the local bus at the train station (like a mystery tour going through the bowels of the mall ...) and then the hotel where I'm staying – which I must admit, after a couple of weeks of what has felt like one room apartment living, feels a little strange. I miss my fridge and you know what, I really don't need my room cleaned or my towels changed every day ... and I miss having my windows open and feeling like I'm part of a community ... however before I sound too ungrateful, cooked breakfast will be nice and I have a feeling I will appreciate the air conditioning... Net net, I'm as happy if not happier in 35 euro a night rooms than 65 euro a night hotels – who ever would have thought!
I wasn't sure what to expect as I headed out to explore Siena and find dinner. I'm staying at the edge of the main town. I started walking towards old town (quick pit stop at the grocery store to get the lay of the land – I love grocery stores – somehow they tell you so much about a place) and then I realize I'm in this maze of very narrow streets with tall buildings on either side and it starts to feel incredibly medieval. It is definitely tourist season and there are lemmings everywhere – but it can't take away from the sense of walking through history – it really is quite something, I'm smiling :-)
I found the main square, Piazza del Campo – a really wonderful architectural space – can't call it a square, more like half of an octagon. The flat side has the town hall and then there is open bricked space that slopes up with restaurants along the edges. I found a chair and had a lovely glass of Borolo and some fresh pasta – even with all the other tourists there was something quite peaceful about the place, more civilized somehow than the really touristy squares in Rome. Maybe it was the sun setting on the tower of the town hall but it is just magical.
I have a friend who is getting married soon and then headed to Italy for his honeymoon with Rome the first stop – he asked me for a Top 10, so here it is:
- Walk, walk and keep walking – truly the best way to see the city, especially the center with the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Popolo and Piazza Navona to be seen early on.
- Explore the local neighborhoods – and escape from the Lemmings … that is where the real Rome is to be found – neighborhood markets, delicatessens, family restaurants and inexpensive, very good gelato.
- The Pantheon – I had no idea what to expect and I loved it – my favorite monument by far. Just wonderful.
- St. Peters & The Vatican – The Lemmings were out of control and unfortunately, took away from the experience for me (that and I was a little hung over …). See the Vatican Museum first and early – follow the signs for the Sistine Chappel but realize that they are leading you through the entire museum on the way so enjoy it and don't get focused on just getting there (like I did). Better yet, get a tour, I think it really makes a difference. St. Peter's is incredible and a climb up the dome is a must – you actually get to see inside the church from the dome height and it is a surreal experience.
- The Churches – I'm Christian but not of a particular faith and I loved the churches – the architecture, the sculptures but mostly the sense of true community that can be found in them - just poke your nose into any one you see and you'll get some lovely surprises.
- Galleria Borghese – wonderful. A beautiful old palazzo filled with art. The tour was very helpful. It is in the middle of the park which is lovely to walk thru – it's also worth walking to the Pincio Hill for the view of Rome.
- The Forum, Palatine and the Colosseum (all one ticket but can be seen over two days - highly recommended!)
- Capitoline Museums – depends on how much of a fan you are of 'old rocks' – not my favorite museum but the setting of the museum is beautiful and there is a very old statue of an emperor on a horse that is quite stunning.
- Galleria Dora Pamphili & the Galleria Arte Moderna – depends on how much art you want to see. The 1st is good for the opportunity to also see the palazzo but the 2nd has a much better selection of works and is set in the Borghese park which is lovely to explore.
- Il Vittoriano – a more recent monument to the war dead that for some reason just seems out of place in Rome – in part because it is white whereas everything is is of a more natural reddish colour. It gets mixed reviews by the locals but because of it's size and color you seem to see it everywhere. It was worth climbing the steps for the view of the city and the Forum in particular.
As you can see, with a little creative grouping pretty much everything can be captured! It is a wonderful city with a ton to see – my net net, don't over do the sites, instead, be sure to take the time to just wander, explore, sit, eat and drink and appreciate the life around. You can always go back. Have a wonderful time!
God, Art, Old Rocks and Great Food is how I'd summarize it … pretty much what you'd expect for a great day in Rome!
I started the day by heading out of the center to one of the 4 main basilicas in Rome that had been recommended to me – the church of San Paolo. It was huge and stunning in it's simplicity – more gothic style I believe. Then headed back into town and by fortuitous accident, found myself at the church of Sain Maria Maggiore – there was some kind of celebration or special service happening as there were lots of people, a Cardinal on his way out and the tail end of a service in the main part of the church. I decided to sit and observe the service – as I think I've said, I'm not overly religious but I do have faith. And something happened in that church – when everyone greeted each other and sang together, there was such a strong feeling of true community that I was taken aback by my emotions. There are many things of the Roman Catholic faith that I don't agree with but there, with the commitment to their faith and community was something to part of if only for a few minutes.
In my wanders from there to the Galleria Doria Pamphili, while looking for a sushi restaurant from my guide book, I stumbled across what ended up being the best pizza I've had. My philosophy over the past week is that there is really no reason not to have pizza every day – it just somehow would be wrong not too. (The idea was kindly concurred by my father – from whom I acquired said love of the food to be truthful!) It was a little spot with lots of locals and it was very, very good – one piece potato and the other zucchini – another thing I am going to have to try and make when I go home!
The museum itself was alright – more overwhelming for me from an art perspective – just too many paintings I knew nothing about. The main highlight though was a portrait of a Pope by Velazquez accompanied by a sculpture of the same pope by Bernini – it was a good combination and the painting was quite amazing – apparently when the Pope saw it, his comment was 'ah yes, that really is me' – a testament to the realism of Velazquez' work – see I am learning a little! But what I enjoyed most about the museum was the palazzo and how it was decorated – incredibly ornate and huge – and it had been lived in up to about the 50s or 60s based on the furniture and décor. A peak into history.
Then came the old stones of the Forum, Palatine and Colosseum – I had saved them to the end, in part because I kept avoiding going during the heat – which seemed to last all day ... so on my last day, they could be avoided no longer. I did get an audio guide which was helpful. Pretty sure I didn't appreciated all the rocks to the extent I “should” have – but I was impressed – again, such an incredible new perspective on the concept of 'old' – hard to imagine. I enjoyed the Colosseum the most – given how much of it is still standing, I could take myself back to that time and age – my mental picture of Russell Crowe in the Gladiator didn't hurt either!
Finally, a last dinner in one of my local restaurants – and believe it or not, well with all the pizza, you should believe it, my first pasta of the trip! I've never been a huge fan – I like it but don't love it and hardly ever have it at home. Clearly, this is because I am not having the right kind ... wow – I had something simple: thick pasta with cheese and pepper. I like simple food and this was one of the best dishes of pasta in my life – all the richness of the butter and cheese and pow of the pepper were perfect together. Something else to try and recreate ... I have an idea – a yoga workshop in the hills of Tuscany combined with cooking classes and good wine ... think I really could be on to something here!
Arrivederci Roma ... a magical city, lemmings and all, and I will be back!
I am not one of those travelers who does a ton of research before I head out to see a place. I know I want to go, have a few ideas of what is there that I want to see, get a guide book and plan to read it on the plane or once there ... Italy and Rome are no exception to that modus operandi – what I knew I definitely wanted to see was the Colosseum, the Vatican and the churches and fountains I'd read and seen in Angels and Demons (I know, me and my pop culture ...). I also knew very little about the history – I like history but have always been more of a fan of 20th century history and have never had a huge interest in what I would call 'old rocks' ... and then the art, well, you can likely sense a theme here but again, I knew nothing ... what defined the renaissance? I didn't know. All the art I really knew were the impressionists ... the easily palatable art ... (I do love and have been many times to the Musee d'Orsay in Paris – my favorite museum in the world).
So what was I doing here? And what was I seeing??? Within a couple of museums, it became clear, I had no idea! I decided the best way to try and tackle the problem (was not to get on my free wifi and wikipedia myself to death ... research, again, not my thing ...) was to pick a couple artists and sculptors and focus on finding their work and seeing what I thought. The artists were Michelangelo (of course), Raphael and Caravaggio and the sculptor was Bernini. I also started to spring for the guided tour or audio tour (though unfortunately not until after St. Peters and the Vatican – a mistake).
I learned the most from the guide at the Galleria Borghese, my favorite museum by far – not large and yet with a collection of the really good stuff. An explanation of the renaissance that resonated (sorry, couldn't resist) and explanations for some amazing paintings that really helped me appreciate them. I realize it is the stories I learn from and he had some good ones to share.
But it is the sculpture that has become a revelation to me – I had no appreciation before but it can be truly quite incredible – the realism and emotion that can come through a brilliant piece of carved stone is incredible to see. There were examples of Bernini's work that just amazed me. I think part of why I appreciate it is the link to architecture, something, again I know very little about, but have always loved. A beautiful church or building or staircase are what I notice – the staircase at the Vatican was almost my favorite part of the museum. (My actual favorite was the Sistine Chapel but only partly for the fresco, the other aspect which struck me was the sea of humanity (read lots and lots of lemmings) which filled the room all serious and quiet, looking up ... that is the image I believe which will most stick with me.)
So my understanding and appreciation for art are growing ... slowly and I'm trying not to get too overwhelmed but rather enjoy what I'm seeing and not worry too much about what I may be missing or not seeing the true beauty of. My plan for Florence is again, just to try and focus on a part of it, not all of it and sign up for the guided tours when ever I can. I will say, the one thing I am most looking forward to now much more than I as before is Michelangelo's David.
Characters they are! I met one – asked me for the time in a park and then we were sitting on the hill overlooking the Circus Maximus and he was explaining the history that goes with the Palantine, Forum and Colosseum. He was my age'ish, originally from Florence but taking a year out of his career to do his masters in art history and currently studying for his final exams. He truly loved and appreciated Rome – his favorite city and for a Florentine to admit that, was saying something. He was more than a little surprised at how little I knew about the history but happy to teach. We ended up going for drinks and dinner a few nights – it was lovely. I saw a side of Rome I never would have otherwise.
I know I generalize when I say that one of the characteristics of Italian men is the wonderful way they appreciate and almost celebrate the femininity of women. And not just Roberto who I met, but others – whether it's the man in the car looking at you and smiling as you both wait for the green light – they notice. There are many other characteristics I know (something about their mothers, never being entirely sure what they say is strictly fact ...), and as with all of us, some good, some less good – but this one characteristic, for this moment in my life, I'm appreciating to the fullest and treating like a gift. Bellissimo :-)
I am so lucky, I know – I have 6 days to really relax and enjoy Rome. I don't feel rushed, I feel like I can take the time to explore, or just hang out - I don't have to rush from sight to sight to sight.
It's meant that most of my days start out pretty slow and it's lovely. A little internet, a little yoga, some breakfast, maybe pop out for a quick errand, a little more internet and then head out and explore. I find I either head out earlier and then am back mid/late afternoon for some recovery, a shower and then find dinner or else I am not out until early/mid afternoon and I stay out for the rest of the day/evening. Basically, I try and avoid being out in the full heat of the middle of the day and it seems to work well.
But then the question becomes, what do I do with this time? The place I'm staying has free, very good wifi – it was the first thing I checked when I arrived and then I was soooo excited when I got it working. I've realized just how important it is for me to fell like I am connected when I'm traveling – especially when I'm traveling on my own. All of a sudden, I'm a fan of Facebook and very grateful for skype – even a few lines of chat with friend or family member really makes a difference in my day. The internet also helps me manage my 'what next' anxiety – I can go online and check out the train schedules, possible places to stay for my next destination or next trip. And it is so nice to be able to google these things without time pressure.
However, about 3 days in, I realized too much wifi can also be a bit of a curse ... I can google just about anything and everything – one google search leads to another and the hours disappear ... I've realized it can be like me with TV, just external stimuli, not accomplishing anything, just passing time ... It became apparent to me as I realized that I hadn't written my blog or read anything other than my guidebook since I'd been in Rome ... not what I want to be doing. A good lesson and reminder, this time is a gift that I don't want to squander.
My first few days in Rome were really just doing a LOT of walking and exploring different parts of the city. It is how I always like to first almost, get to know a city – that's what's most important to me traveling, to get a sense of the pace, the people and the culture ... and then, I can figure out what I really want to see of the sights and go from there.
After my first evening in the center, I must admit, I was almost overwhelmed both by the city and all of the other lemmings that were here with me (all the Italians were quite sensibly off enjoying their holidays on the beach or in the country!) So the next evening, I headed across the river to explore another little neighborhood, Trastavere – more up market and well known than where I was staying. It was very picturesque with lots of cafes/bars and restaurants. I found a lovely little spot popular with the locals (Ombre Rosse in Piazza Sant'Egidio) for my first glass of Italian white wine and bruschetta. It was a very pleasant way to spend a couple of hours, just watching the world go by and enjoying seeing how the Italians socialized with each other - they know how to have a good time.
The next day I headed back into the center – my primary mission was not a historic monument or even a quaint street to wander, it was to find a store that sold Birkenstocks (I had the addresses for three ...) as my feet were otherwise going to die ... Success was achieved and I am now the proud owner of my first pair of Birkenstocks (A little humble pie to be had as I must confess to always having thought these the most ugly of shoes ... and I like my shoes ...).
The shoe problem having been solved, I headed off to explore the other half of Il Centro – and discovered the Pantheon which I will admit to never having even heard about prior to getting here. It is incredible – built in the first century AD, it is just a marvel to me. Ever since seeing my first 'old' European building many years ago (being from Canada, 'old' has always been a relative concept!), what has always amazed me is the sheer practicality of how these most amazing architectural structures were built. In Rome, this amazement has just gone to a whole new level, together with a whole new relative definition of 'old'. Seeing the Pantheon really put that in perspective for me.
I really enjoyed the neighborhood around the Pantheon – it was lovely to wander through. I found the Piazza Navona with a lovely church, the Sant A'gnese in Agone and an incredible Four Rivers fountain by Bernini (more on him later) – it was a lovely but popular piazza, lots of lemmings ... for a smaller piazza and a drink, I preferred the Campo de Fiori as it was just a little bit quieter.
And despite my love of walking, by the 3rd day, I managed to figure out the bus system - very easy and a good foot friendly alternative to potentially too much walking :-)
I've rented a small apartment in Testaccio, a small neighborhood about a 30 minute walk from the southern edge of the center of Rome. Well more correctly, it is a good sized room with a bathroom and pocket kitchen within an apartment that also has 4 other rooms. It is in a lovely old building with a wrought iron huge main door, stone foyer and stairs and an old fashioned lift, the kind like a cage ... it is like stepping back in time and I love it! My favorite feature is my view ... I open up this lovely huge window and there is my courtyard and all my neighbors ... older Italian women in their housecoats putting laundry out – there are laundry lines in front of each of the window – very clever really. And below me there is a little garden patio where this older gentleman is out in the mornings painting and then in the late afternoons gives painting lessons. It feels very much like real life in Rome and I love it!
I'm still managing a little yoga in the morning – and here, I set my mat up right in front of the window and sit facing out ... I may become the neighborhood gossip but that's fine with me – the breeze coming in is lovely and all the sounds just kind of float by me. Very happy.
My first morning, I went out and explored my local neighborhood – what had seemed like nothing the night before was all alive during the day with the metal shutters up and the little pocket stores open for business. I found a great little deli / bakery selling fresh bread, pizza, sandwiches, cheese – it all looked wonderful. And I managed to get my sandwich without losing my place too many times ... in Italy the queue system is not as respected as in other (northern) European cultures I've experienced ... at a certain point, I asserted myself and was rewarded with a smile! What also made me chuckle was with my very, very limited Italian and then a few other foreign words thrown in for good measure, I think it was the “c'est tout”, by the end of the transaction, the guy serving me thought I was French ... I took it as a real compliment and knew it would give great amusement to all my French friends ... :-)
I then wandered through a lovely local market (specialty shoes, how perfect!), found a little five and dime store equivalent (perfect for the band aids my feet were already crying out for) and stocked up at my local supermarket. I also saw lots of little local restaurants as well as the local gelato shop … I was going to enjoy my week here I was quite sure!
I arrived. It was a bit of an adventure and a good introduction to the Italian psyche so I will share ... My flight from Mykonos was a charter – 40 other vacationers returning home, the majority young guys, average age about 25. (My first chuckle was watching more than a few of them try and get their luggage below 15 kgs ... clothes flying everywhere ... and me smug with my 10.8 kg bag ...) The flight was fine, but then, we land, where are our bags ??? After 30 minutes, they sent us to from terminal A to B – have you ever left a terminal in search of your bags? It felt wrong, but I'd found 2 responsible looking young guys of the group who seemed to know what they were doing and followed them ... out through customs we went ... then a phone call and no, back to Terminal A ... back in through security a group of us trooped, me, grateful I still had my boarding pass ... even an announcement, bags from our flight on this carousel ... there we all were ... an hour later, still no bags ... turns out it really was meant to be Terminal B – so now there are all 40 of us, back out through customs, back in through security etc. etc. most fun, was watching these Italian guys shout at, curse and gesture any airport worker they saw on our way, the hands were going, everything – we were a sight to be seen … and then we got there, all our bags sitting beside an empty carousel ... welcome to Italy!
I arrived at my apartment by 4pm – after a quick tour/introduction from the rental agent and a quick unpack, I was out by 5pm – I felt like I needed to see something recognizable just to prove to myself that yes, I really was in Rome. So back to the metro and into Il Centro – it's funny, from a nervous travel perspective, I had absolutely no qualms figuring out the metro – I know big cities and they are familiar to me / I am comfortable in them. And in this city, it is me and a very large number of fellow tourists ... or as I call them, lemmings ... on the train, I tried to figure out what, besides the obvious (guide book, map, backpack) gives us away ... I decided one thing was definitely the brand new comfortable walking shoes – man or woman, that was the clue – and for the women, the new styled Birkenstocks are definitely the flavor of the day – combined with a fresh pedicure ... and I have to say, with my reefer flip flops and feet from 2 weeks on the beach, I'm in need of both!
Within 20 meters of exiting the metro, at the first spot I find, I have pizza!!! I LOVE pizza – always have and if I'm really honest, likely one of Italy's top attractions for me! I was starved too as the last meal had been breakfast. Then I find the Spanish Steps – wow – I join the crowds on the side in the shade, sit and I tell you, that was the best pizza I think I've ever had!
After a wonder along the streets – high end shopping mecca of Via Condotti, main shopping drag of Via del Corso (lots of really good sales at the minute), one of the main piazzas, Piazza del Popolo, a lovely little church, St. Maria del Popolo, then a wander back through the Trident area to see the Trevi Fountain – incredible and for the moment, relatively peaceful (I would be back later in the week when you couldn't reach it for all the lemmings ...). Then I figured, I would just keep walking – especially, once I saw the Colosseum in the distance ... I walked past the Forum, saw another wedding party (I keep seeing them in all the strangest places ...) and then was at the Colosseum - wow! Then back through regular neighborhoods to my little room ... a magical first evening ... and yes, I really was in Rome :-)
